Removable chuck

Abstract

A removable chuck has a chuck member for holding a drill bit. Also, a mechanism is coupled with the chuck body to retain the chuck body to a drill spindle. The retention mechanism, in a first position, has at least one biased blade, in a non-biased condition, retaining the chuck on the drill spindle and in a second position, with the at least one biased blade in a biased condition, the chuck is enabled to be removed from the spindle.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A removable chuck comprising: 
       a sleeve for directly connecting with a rotating spindle;  
       a chuck coupled with said sleeve, said sleeve coupling said chuck with said rotating spindle;  
       said chuck and sleeve being removable from the rotatable spindle and said removable chuck and sleeve being operable to receive or remove tools from said chuck and sleeve when said chuck and sleeve are coupled with the rotating spindle;  
       a locking mechanism for retaining said sleeve on the rotating spindle, said locking mechanism comprising at least one locking blade for seating in a recess in the spindle, said at least one locking blade movable from a first position, coupling the sleeve with the spindle recess, to a second position, where said at least one locking blade is out of the spindle recess; and  
       said at least one locking blade biasing between said first position, wherein said at least one locking blade being in a non-biased condition, where said sleeve is locked with said spindle, to said second position, where said at least one locking blade being in a biased condition, enabling said sleeve to be removed from the spindle.  
     
     
       2. The removable chuck according to  claim 1 , wherein said locking mechanism includes a pair of locking blades. 
     
     
       3. The removable chuck according to  claim 2 , wherein said locking mechanism including a housing, a first and second blade carrier in said housing, said first and second blade carriers each coupled with one of said blades, a pair of activation members coupled with said first and second blade carriers, biasing members for biasing said first and second blade carriers, said pair of activation members moving said first and second blade carriers against said biasing members between said first and second positions for locking and enabling removal of said sleeve from the spindle. 
     
     
       4. The removable chuck according to  claim 3 , wherein said pair of activation members and said first and second blade carriers each include cam surfaces acting on an opposing cam surface for moving said blades transverse to an axis of said spindle between said first and second positions. 
     
     
       5. The removable chuck according to  claim 4 , wherein said first and second blade carriers have an overall C-shape. 
     
     
       6. The removable chuck according to  claim 4 , wherein each activation member has a pair of cam surfaces. 
     
     
       7. The removable chuck according to  claim 1 , wherein said locking mechanism includes a yoke member coupled with said at least one blade for engaging the recess in said spindle. 
     
     
       8. The removable chuck according to  claim 7 , wherein said locking mechanism including a spring for moving said yoke member between said first and second positions. 
     
     
       9. The removable chuck according to  claim 8 , wherein said spring is a helical spring, said spring in a non-biased position maintaining a portion of said yoke accessible to a user. 
     
     
       10. A hand tool comprising: 
       a hand tool having a rotatable spindle, said spindle including a recess; and  
       a removable chuck, said removable chuck comprising:  
       a sleeve for directly connecting with the rotating spindle;  
       a chuck coupled with said sleeve, said sleeve coupling said chuck with said rotating spindle and said chuck operable to receive or remove tools when coupled with said sleeve;  
       said chuck and sleeve being removable from the rotatable spindle and said removable chuck and sleeve being operable to receive or remove tools from said chuck and sleeve when said chuck and sleeve are coupled with the rotating spindle;  
       a locking mechanism for retaining said sleeve on the rotating spindle, said locking mechanism comprising at least one locking blade for seating in a recess in the spindle, said at least one locking blade movable from a first position, coupling the sleeve with the spindle recess, to a second position, where said at least one locking blade is out of the spindle recess; and  
       said at least locking blade biasing between said first position, wherein said at least one locking blade being in a non-biased condition, where said sleeve is locked with said spindle, to said second position, where said at least one locking blade being in a biased condition, enabling said sleeve to be removed from the spindle.  
     
     
       11. The hand tool according to  claim 10 , wherein said locking mechanism including a pair of locking blades. 
     
     
       12. The hand tool according to  claim 11 , wherein said locking mechanism including a housing, a first and second blade carrier in said housing, said first and second blade carriers each coupled with one of said blades, a pair of activation members coupled with said first and second blade carriers, biasing members for biasing said first and second blade carriers, said pair of activation members moving said first and second blade carriers against said biasing members between said first and second positions for locking and enabling removal of said sleeve from the spindle. 
     
     
       13. The hand tool according to  claim 12 , wherein said pair of activation members and said first and second blade carriers each include cam surfaces for acting on an opposing cam surface for moving said blades transverse to an axis of said spindle between said first and second positions. 
     
     
       14. The hand tool according to  claim 13 , wherein said first and second blade carriers have an overall C-shape. 
     
     
       15. The hand tool according to  claim 13 , wherein each activation member has a pair of cam surfaces. 
     
     
       16. The hand tool according to  claim 10 , wherein said locking mechanism including a yoke member coupled with said at least one blade for engaging the recess in said spindle. 
     
     
       17. The hand tool according to  claim 16 , wherein said locking mechanism including a spring for moving said yoke member between said first and second positions. 
     
     
       18. The hand tool chuck according to  claim 17 , wherein said spring is a helical spring, said spring in a non-biased position maintaining a portion of said yoke accessible to a user.